Let's Start Over
by Karen-Charlene
Summary: Set after episode 12x07 'Brain Doe.' Catherine tells Lou about the offer the sheriff made to her.


**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own CSI nor any of the characters, CBS does.**

**Rating: K.**

**A/N: This short fic is set after episode 12x07 'Brain Doe'. I don't know how you felt after watching the Catherne/sheriff scene and the VCR scene but I was going through an emotional crisis. So, this fic is dedicated to all the heart-broken VCR shippers. I know it's not one of my best and it's also not beta'd but I'm too tired to care.**

**PS. Thanks so much to Sheena (sheshemarie) whi helped me start the fic, without her, I'd be sitting in front of my laptop for another 2 hours, trying to find a way to start it ;)**

**Enjoy and leave a review (:**

**Let's Start Over**

_"Go to DC. Pay's Good. The Hours are great. You get to travel. __Sometimes you have to move out to move up."_

Catherine spent the rest of the shift thinking about the offer that the sheriff had made to her. It was an amazing offer in regards to her career but she couldn't help thinking about what it could mean for her relationship with a certain Detective Vartann. Sighing, she got up from her couch and headed to his house to tell him about the offer.

As she drove to his house she kept rehearsing in her mind how she would tell him about the offer and about the decision she had made, 'What if he doesn't respond well to this?' She thought, 'What if he leaves me?' The thought of the best thing that has ever happened to her leaving her made her doubt her decision.

She could feel her heart racing as his house came in sight and she was no longer sure she wanted to share the information with him. Yet, she stopped the car and got out.

Slowly, she made her way to his front door and knocked on it. The door opened after a few moments and on the other side stood her big, strong Detective, wearing only his tight boxers and looking like he's just been woken up. Catherine couldn't help but ogle his muscular body and came back to reality when she heard him chuckle.

"What?" Her eyes snapped up to meet his.

"You're staring." He smiled.

"Oh, sorry," A shade of pink appeared on Catherine's cheek as Lou stepped aside and she walked into the house.

"You want something to drink, eat?" Lou asked as he closed the door behind him and headed towards her.

"No, I wanted to talk to you," She turned to face him. He nodded in response and led her to sit on the couch, sitting next to her. There was a silence for a moment before Catherine spoke up, "I'm leaving."

"You're leaving?" The Detective looked at her, confusion written on his face.

"I got a job offer in DC. Pay's good, hours are comfortable, and I think change can be good for me. I've been a CSI in Vegas for a little over two decades; maybe it's time to try something new."

"So, you're leaving Vegas?" Lou looked down and all he got was a nod in response, "Well, good luck at the new job then," He said after a couple of minutes of silence and got up, going into the kitchen.

Catherine looked after him confused, then got up and went into the kitchen, "Is that all you have to say? 'Good luck at the new job'?"

"What else do you want me to say?" He turned to face her with a bottle of beer in his hand and she wasn't sure if what she saw in his eyes was sadness or anger.

'Okay, Catherine, now is the time. Do it, or you're gonna lose him. Forever.'She walked towards him, talking the beer from his hand and putting it on the counter, and took his hands in hers, "I want you to come with me," She whispered, looking into his eyes.

Lou looked at her confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Come with me to DC. We can start over, we'll get to spend more time together… we can move in together," She smiled softly but started worrying when she saw the serious look on his face, "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Where did that come from?" The serious look still hadn't left his face and Catherine started to think that maybe it was a bad idea to come there in the first place; maybe they didn't want the same things after all.

"Lately our relationship has been going downhill and it's all because of this job, this city," She explained, "Me having part of a casino, your past relationship with a murderer… this job has been breaking us apart and I just thought that if we were to move to DC together and start over, maybe then things would get better," She stopped for a second and saw his eyes soften and smiled softly, bringing her hand up to rest on his cheek, "Because I don't wanna lose you, Lou."

Lou's lips finally broke into a soft smile and he cupped her face with his hands, "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Positive." Her smile widened as Lou bent down and kissed her gently, "Well?" She asked as the kiss broke, their foreheads touching.

"What?"

"Will you give me another chance?" He looked at her for a moment, then turned around and started walking up the stairs, "Where are you going?" She called after him, but didn't get anything in response.

'Crap! I knew this was a bad idea!' She thought as she heard his bedroom door open, 'I shouldn't have come here and ask him. What was I thinking? It was so obvious he'd say no! And now he's gonna end it with me. Great! Good job, Catherine!' She felt the lump in her throat and fought back the tears just as she heard his bedroom door close and his footsteps approaching the stairs.

A few seconds later he came back into the kitchen, this time carrying a suitcase, "What's that?" She asked confused, trying not to cry in front of him.

"Well, if we're moving to DC we need to start packing, don't you think?" He looked at her as he opened the suitcase.

Her lips broke into a huge smile and she threw herself at him, almost knocking him down to the floor, "Really?" She asked as she started kissing him, "You'd… do… that… for me?" She asked between kisses.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back, then pulled back and stroked her strawberry-blonde hair, "I'd do anything for you," He smiled softly as he kissed her again.

**Hope you liked it (:**

**Review and let me know what you think.**

**-Zohar xxx**


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